Kata
by Leodyne of the North
Summary: A Zutara story set about 5 years after Ozai's fall. Fire Lord Zuko receives a message for help from a friend he hasn't seen in years...
1. The candle was burning low

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or its characters.

**Kata**

**The candle was burning low…**

She wrote quickly, scribbling across the page. There were stacks of letters all around the desk, but this one was the most important of all. If this letter didn't get out, she was doomed. She paused, wondering how to word the next sentence to show her desperation.

As she began fervently writing again, her arm knocked over the ink. "Damn!" she cursed pulled her sleeves back so they wouldn't stain. She watched as the ink flowed like blood across the precious letter. She watched it envelop each letter and eventually her own name. Katara shuddered, set her jaw, and with a flick of her wrist, the ink flowed back into its well, leaving the letter clean.

She finished and folded the parchment and set it in the stack with the other letters. A second later, Hakoda walked in. The war had taken its toll on the former Wolf Chief, peppering his hair with gray at the temples, but his eyes were still twinkling and his laugh lines were deep to show that this warrior wolf wasn't ready to lie down yet.

"Father," she said, rising from her seat. She walked over and hugged him.

He smiled as she walked back to the table and began gathering up the letters. "So you've finished," he noted approvingly.

"Yep," she said, "just got done. I was about to get Sokka."

"No need," he replied. "I will take them myself."

"Make sure these both get to Haru in Omashu. The second one is for Toph. And this one is for Suki, she's not on Kyoshi Island anymore, she's around Ba Sing Sei. And don't forget that the ones with moons in the corner are the important ones for me."

Hakoda sighed as she continued her instructions. It had been nearly six years since the defeat of Ozai, and after a year of pilgrimage with the Avatar, his children had returned home. Sokka was now the new chief of the Southern Water Tribe, having been sworn in a year after his return. Although always sharp-witted, his adventures against the Fire Nation had sharpened it further, made him a formidable warrior, and given him a touch of wisdom. For the past couple of years, Sokka had made an admirable chief.

His daughter however, was another story. She had been more reluctant to return permanently to her home. He suspected that a tie to the little affectionate air bender was the source, but even after years, she still did not seem content to stay. It did not help that she was already a seasoned Master, her skills having grown exponentially in the war. She insisted on continuing her training when she had other responsibilities to the tribe. While she was melting ice caps, her presence was needed in the village. When Sokka took over, Hakoda and Katara moved to the Northern Tribe. Hakoda had hoped that the larger city would encourage her to be more social…and it seems she had finally turned around.

"And the one with this design goes to the Fire Nation," she concluded.

"This design is the one on your mother's necklace," he said, eyeing the familiar pattern drawn on the envelope with care. "Who on that volcanic rock holds such high regard?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

She rolled her eyes. "It's for Zuko." When her father gave her a bewildered, horrified look, she responded quickly. "It's sort of a joke between us."

Hakoda wasn't fully convinced but gathered the letters nonetheless. He gave his daughter another hug and a kiss on her forehead. "I'm glad you're going to take this step, my daughter. It is a very important one and I am proud." He left with a rustle of paper.

Katara was left alone with her thoughts and her father's voice in the air. She shivered, despite the heavy furs she was wearing. She felt tears threaten to escape and took in a deep breath, trying to control herself. She knelt by the table and prayed to the spirits that the letter would have a safe passage…so much was riding on that piece of paper.

--

'Feeling young is not always as good as being young,' Iroh thought as he walked down the large corridor. For the land of the fire, many of the passages in the palace were chilly, and chilly didn't bode well for some of his old injuries. How he wanted to sit in the sun and enjoy a warm cup of jasmine tea.

The Dragon's daydreaming was cut short as he approached the golden doors. A messenger had come with an important letter and by the look of it, the Fire Lord needed to know of it immediately, and no one was closer to Fire Lord Zuko than Head Advisor Iroh. He pushed open one of the doors and stepped into the Fire Lord's chambers.

Surrounded in soft oranges and accented in deep reds, the waiting room was meant to comfort. It opposed the rest of the intimidating palace and very few were called into such a room. The waiting room led to the Fire Lord's chambers that not only held his sleeping and bathing quarters, but a small private courtyard as well. Iroh set the letter down on the small table and walked to the courtyard to find the young lord practicing.

Since the war, Zuko had changed in many ways. His shoulders had broadened and he had grown taller. Lean, sinewy muscles had been replaced with more solid and defined ones. Golden eyes that had constantly been confused and angry were normally cloaked by a veil; Zuko thought it important that his subjects not know what he was thinking before he was willing to release his ideas. His mind grew more flexible and he was able to see beyond his actions, with a guiding hand from a wise Dragon. Zuko's young face, so often distorted in anger was now constantly a mask of indifference, echoing the late Ozai to the point where Iroh was sometimes uncomfortable. His firebending skills continued to grow and he soon received the title of Master after receiving the crown.

Iroh watched his former pupil run through a particularly difficult kata. The Master handled the low stances with ease and he made even the most frustrating techniques seem easy. His golden eyes were locked onto an imaginary opponent and he struck with a ferocity that few would guess came from such a calm leader.

In the beginning of his reign Zuko had stumbled, like most young rulers. A few social graces were lost and some generals had been offended. But no major damage had been done, especially with everyone so glad that Azula had been defeated and taken from the throne. Treaties had to be made with every other nation and apologies rarely came easy to a nation based on pride. Shortly after Ozai had been put into prison, Zuko sent the Avatar on a pilgrimage to encourage peace throughout the kingdoms and quell what hatred of the Fire Nation he could.

Katara and Sokka had of course gone with Aang. Toph stayed behind, but was soon called to Omashu to assist the King Bumi in rebuilding his city. And with that, Iroh felt Zuko lose his youth once again. The Avatar came around a few times a year and when their sparring time came around, Zuko's eyes would light up and Iroh could see the man that Zuko wanted so desperately to be. But there were duties everywhere for the Avatar and Zuko had an entire nation to run...

"I know you're there Uncle."

Iroh refocused on his nephew, who was not quite scowling at him, but it was eerily similar to years ago. "Of course you do nephew. I must say, your stances are definitely something to be envious of," he remarked as they moved inside.

Zuko 'hmphed' and continued walking silently with his uncle.

"A message has come for you Fire Lord Zuko, from the Water Tribe," he informed the young man as he picked up the letter.

"If it's about the shipping treaty in the North Sea, send it back. I told them I would allow them through Fire Nation waters and they should be willing to do the same for our ships," Zuko said annoyed.

Delivering the letter Iroh said, "I don't think this is about any treaties."

"What would make you say-"

Zuko stopped in mid-sentence as his eyes fell upon the symbol of waves on the front of the envelope. A picture that he had known for years, and only associated with one person.

"Katara," he whispered.

His uncle's eyes widened. Although the symbol had seemed familiar to him, he _had_ noted the Water Tribe origin, Iroh had never stared at the pattern and wondered how it could bring him honor. Nor had he used it as a tool to catch impossibly elusive prey. And although the Dragon grew fond of the girl, he had never fought with her, argued with her, lost with her…risked his life for her.

Zuko and Katara's friendship was an interesting balancing act, not as light-hearted as Sokka's or Aang's, not as sturdy as Toph's, but still very important to the Fire Lord nonetheless. Zuko had missed _all_ of his friends when he took the title and mantle of Fire Lord.

Zuko gently ran his hands over the swirls on the paper, almost in a daze. He hadn't heard from the Waterbender since she left on the pilgrimage. She never sent letters with Aang, only spoken messages that lost their touch coming from the Avatar. When he would receive a letter from Sokka, he would only get clips about the new Wolf Chief's sister, as if he was supposed to be receiving the entire story from somewhere else.

"Would you like me to leave my lord?" Iroh asked quietly, snapping Zuko out of his daze.

After a moment Zuko replied with a simple headshake and they sat at the table. He carefully opened the letter, almost cautiously as if something would leap out. He took out the message and began to read…

_Honorable Fire Lord Zuko,_

_I know it has been a long time since we have spoken, even through the Avatar. Mail does not come often to the Northern City, and I never seem to have paper and ink when I need it. This does not excuse my silence and I hope you will accept my apology._

_Aang has told me that you have become a great leader and the Fire Nation is faring well. Sometimes it seems so much longer than six years since the war…and other times so much shorter. I would also like to congratulate you on your Master rank. I know it has been years since you received it, but I also know that if politics did not exist, you would have been a Master much sooner._

_I write to you in a great time of need. I understand that you have a great deal of duties required of you, but I ask this as a friend. Something terrible is about to happen and I look to you for help. _

_Please bring a single Fire Navy ship to the Northern Water Tribe the morning before the full Sturgeon moon. If you can, have it decorated in the honor of the Fire Lord. Do not bring many soldiers, they will not need to depart from the ship. Once in tribal waters, if you are stopped by anyone, announce that you received an invitation from me and you are expected. Prepare to leave the next morning; no one will question the schedule of the Fire Lord._

_When you get to the Northern City, seek me out. I am staying in the palace and guards will know where you can find me. If you can, bring your uncle on land with you. I will tell you more once we meet in person._

_ Clean waters and cool winds,  
Katara of the Water Tribe_

Zuko stared at the letter for a few moments and handed it across the table to his patient uncle. He stayed silent as he imagined hundreds of life-threatening traps the Waterbender could have gotten into. But what trap would be planned on the night of a full moon? Wouldn't her skills be at her peak? Katara could even bloodbend herself out of a dangerous situation if the need called for it.

"Zuko," Iroh said heavily, looking to the man for a command.

The Fire Lord looked down at the table in an unusual submissive manner. He caught a glimpse of the symbol painted on the envelope. The Fire Nation was still unstable and it was wise to leave a fire of any size left unattended. Zuko had never left the nation's islands since he became Fire Lord, negotiating treaties from the safety of his people's land.

And he had heard nothing from Katara in over five years. He didn't even know she was a part of the Northern Tribe now. She had most likely sent similar letters to the Avatar and her brother…possibly even to Omashu. There would be no real need of him to go…

He looked at his uncle, ready to discuss any options, but when Iroh saw the confused look in Zuko's eyes he immediately declared, "I will get our finest ship ready. We will set off in two weeks my lord."


	2. The wind was blowing softly

**Kata  
**

**The wind was blowing softly…**

Zuko stood on the bow of the ship and shivered slightly. Although the wind was cold, it was the memories of this place that seeped into his bones. He had not been to the Northern Water Tribe since he was a boy trying to catch the Avatar and his honor. He had been an enemy of the entire Water tribe and he had first witnessed the terrible power of the Avatar state. He stood with his hands tucked into his sleeves to protect them from the harsh arctic air, and wondered yet again what he was doing.

The Dragon cradled his hot cup of tea to warm his hands as he watched his nephew on deck. Since they'd reached the northern waters two mornings ago, no firebending was allowed. The relations were going to be shaky at best and they did not want to alarm anyone. The icy wind did nothing to help Iroh's creaky bones, but he drank lots of warm tea and kept the cold away with many layers. As he saw the Fire Lord shiver again he wondered how thick the red cape was anyway, it was designed for a volcano, not an ice fortress. Even when the sun peeked out from behind the clouds, it did little to warm the men of fire below.

"Uncle," the young man said, "am I doing the right thing?" The old man walked closer as Zuko begin to think out loud. "Katara is the only one that never bothered to stay in touch after the war. Even Toph had a friend send messages to me. I know that we never really got along, but she was still my friend, wasn't she?" Zuko looked up towards the morning sun. "Is she my friend now, or am I the only one that can save her?"

Iroh almost gasped as he saw the confusion in his nephew's eyes. A single waterbender had reduced the stoic Fire Lord to a teenager once again. "I think," he said as he stepped up next to the red cloaked figure, "that it was as hard for her to leave her friends behind as it was for you to watch them go. She is a compassionate young woman that often takes care of others' needs before her own. I do not know why she chose to stay alone for these peaceful years Zuko, but now she is in need of help. And the honorable action is to do so."

The Fire Lord nodded slowly. "But what about the Fire Nation, how can we just leave like that?"

His uncle chuckled. "A nation is like a growing child. If you never trust them on their own, they will become spoiled and petulant. You should give your people more credit. Just because you are gone for a short time does not mean everything will fall apart. Besides, it is good for the other nations to see the Fire Lord attend to matters outside of your own area."

"But what if we're not welcome in the area," Zuko said darkly, noticing the few small tribal ships flanking their own. The dark skinned men looked dangerously at the metal boat. Some of them even went so far as to clang on the side with their clubs. The man assumed to be the leader stepped onto the bow of the largest canoe. He was dressed similarly to the way that Sokka and Katara had dressed in a blue parka lined with fur. As Zuko saw his breath cloud before him, he wondered how warm this man was and how nice it must feel.

"Who are you?" the gruff man demanded, "and why do you disturb our waters?"

Iroh cleared his throat to begin his announcement, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. "I am Fire Lord Zuko, and I am here at the request of Master Katara of the Southern Water Tribe." Any confusion or doubts that Zuko had shown moments ago were cast far away as he stood tall and proud. "We were given permission to stay at the Northern City for one day."

The man looked Zuko over and stopped at his scar, noticing the symbol of one of the war heroes. Although still skeptical he nodded, and motioned the Fire Navy boat to follow. They led the foreigners to a small bay hidden by several glaciers where the steamship was allowed to dock. Iroh made sure the ship was left in good hands and condition and stepped into the city with his nephew.

Although he would never admit it, the Fire Lord was freezing. The soles of his shoes were thin and let in the chill of the ice. The wind ripped through his red robes taking any warmth he was trying to save. The harbormaster had pointed them in the direction of the palace and Zuko was ashamed to remember some of these passages. He soon decided that this frozen walking wasn't going as planned when he heard his uncle express glee at an open market stall. He sighed as he drug his uncle to a boy with a boat in the canal.

"We are seeking passage to the palace," Zuko said formally. "Would you be able to supply us with transportation?"

"Sure mister," the boy exclaimed and moved his fishing gear to the stern. The Fire Lord sat straight and tall, trying to hold his robes around his chilling body, while his head advisor looked all around to take in the sights of the frozen city.

--

Katara stared in the mirror for what seemed like hours but still didn't recognize herself. Her braid was gone, replaced with curls and spirals that she might have enjoyed at another time. Light blue powder had been dusted around her eyes, accenting the deep blue orbs. Her lips were painted a bright red and this dress-

The waterbender's thoughts were interrupted as a knock came at the door. "Come in," she called and the Avatar stepped into the room. Aang had not so much grown in the past few years as he had sprouted. Even towering over her father, his height was something often added to the legend of the fall of Ozai, even though he hadn't even been close to the former Fire Lord's shoulder. He still hadn't lost the lean muscle of his youth and looked much more like an acrobat than a monk.

"Aang!" she exclaimed, getting up and giving him a deep hug. "How have you been?"

"I've been good," he said hugging her back, and she was nearly struck by his baritone voice. "The nations are doing well and I'm rebuilding the Northern Air Temple while I'm up here."

"It's been a long time," she said with a squeeze, and pulled back to look at his face. It had stayed lean through adulthood but she could still see how easy it would be for that wide grin to appear. "How are Momo and Appa? Are they with you?"

Aang laughed and scratched his head as he stepped back. "No. They stayed behind at the temple. Chief Arnook said that although they were welcome here anytime, today probably wouldn't be a good day to have Momo flying around, and all the people are taking up so much room that Appa wouldn't be comfortable."

"Oh," Katara said, put off by the mention of the large crowd. "Well, be sure to bring them back some peechie berries okay?"

"I will," the Avatar replied with his big grin. The grin faded as the conversation turned to a serious note. "So…it's the big day huh?"

"Yeah," Katara said, not meeting his light eyes. "It's finally here. I'm getting…"

"Married," her old friend finished for her. They silently avoided the other's gaze. Aang took in a deep breath. "Did…you ever think about what this day would be like?"

"Yeah," she confessed, fumbling with her fingers. "It didn't actually pan out the same in my mind. I'd never even thought about being married in Water Tribe territory. And I certainly never thought I'd be marrying Ha-" She stopped suddenly, putting her hand over her mouth and her cheeks turning rosy from embarrassment.

It would have been impossible for the Avatar to miss such a slip. "Katara…I-I know that this is hard for you. I know that Hahn is sometimes difficult to get along with, and that he can be a little-"

"Jerk?" the woman offered.

Aang winced at her harsh tone. "Yes he's not exactly open-minded, but that's why you are the perfect match for him. He's the adopted son of Chief Arnook and you're the sister of Chief Sokka. It's a great time of celebrating the joining of the Northern and Southern tribes."

"I know," she sighed. "I'm glad to take up this duty, but I can't help but think about the what ifs, you know?"

After another silent time of avoiding eyes, Aang tried to approach the subject again. "Katara, are you okay?"

She looked at him with an almost hurt expression, but that was quickly masked over by anxiousness. "Yes Aang, I'm alright. I guess I'm just getting cold feet. It's hard not to in a palace like this." She laughed and then noted his normal airbending garb. "Aren't you cold in your monk robes?"

"Not at all," he replied with a wave of his hand. "People seem to forget that flying up in the air isn't very warm, so I'm used to it, as long as I have a fluffy bison to sleep on at night, I'm fine."

They both laughed and she began to shoo him out of the room. "You need to get ready and keep peace at the ceremony. Also, don't let Sokka near the watermaids."

"Yes Sifu Katara," Aang said as he headed out the door. But he turned around before he was over the threashold. "Katara…"

"Yes Aang?" she said as she readjusted a curl that had come undone during their hugs.

"You look…really beautiful."

She felt her cheeks redden again. "Thanks Aang."

He stared at her for a moment more and then closed the door behind him. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and nearly collapsed on a chair. "What am I doing?" she said softly to herself, trying to find the Master waterbender in the mirror.

--

Zuko and his uncle stood at the gate of the ice castle. The biting wind had only gotten worse, although it wasn't as biting as some of the looks he had received from the banks. He was glad that he chose to take the canal so he could stir up his body heat as much as possible without notice. It was dangerous to firebend in a city made of ice.

"Excuse me, young man," Iroh called out to a man in a water tribe parka and slicked back dark hair. "This old man would appreciate you letting us in. My creaking bones are making it hard to bear."

"Sure, I guess," the man said, calling a waterbending soldier over to lower the gate. Zuko watched closely comparing it to the waterbender he had traveled with so long ago. Although the movement was fluid, it did not hold the grace that Katara had while she was working with her bending. As they stepped over the small puddle, a grate of ice began to re-grow, forming the gate once more.

"Thank you very much," the old dragon said bowing his head slightly. "Now if you could please point us in the direction of Master Katara-"

"Katara?" the man asked sharply. "What business do you think you have with Katara?"

Zuko narrowed his eyes. "We have received a message from Master Katara asking us to be here today," he said softly, reaching into an inner pocket to grab the envelope they had recieved.

"Yeah, I'll bet," he said rolling his eyes. "Guard, lower the gate so these commoners can get on their way."

"Commoners!" the Fire Lord repeated, feeling the familiar heat build up in his hand. "This is General Iroh, Dragon of the West. And I am Fire Lord Zuko. Now, commoner, show us the way to Master Katara of the Southern Water Tribe."

The man visibly paled and yelled, "Assassins! Guards! Guards!"

"What is going on?" Iroh tried to ask the gate soldier, but was promptly ignored as the two nobles were quickly surrounded by seemingly unarmed soldiers. But the way the man in the parka was grinning, any of these men could make a dagger in a fraction of a second. "We've been led into a trap," Zuko growled, crumpling the envelope as he made a fist, preparing to ignite the piece of paper.

Iroh sensed his nephew's body heat rise and noticed the ice at his feet begin to melt. "Calm down," he said slowly. "I'm sure that there is a good explanation for all of this." He reached over to take the almost smoldering envelope when the man yelled, "Look out! The old one's moving!"

An alert soldier approached slowly. "Give me the paper," he said simply. Zuko glanced down at his uncle who nodded, and handed the warm paper to the water tribe soldier. The soldier then gave it to the man who ordered them around so freely. The man snatched the paper and uncrumpled it almost uninterested. He looked at the envelope and his eyes widened. He crumpled the paper even worse than it had been before, threw it on the ground and approached the now seething Fire Lord.

"Who the hell are you and why are you really here?" the man demanded and poked a finger against the red cloak. Zuko grabbed the man's parka by the furry scruff around his neck and nearly lifted him into the air. Zuko was only a little taller than him so he pulled the man to his face.

"I am Fire Lord Zuko," he whispered, glaring at the fear in the man's blue eyes. "Katara has asked me to meet her. Tell me where I can find her or you and this little dead penguin are going up in flames." As the man whimpered before him, he could only lose his temper more. "Now!" he commanded, singeing the fur on the edge of the jacket.

The soldiers looked at each other unsure of what to do, when a voice called out from inside the palace.

"Zuko? Is that you?"

The furious Fire Lord thought he recognized the voice and turned his head to look at the new comer. He saw a sturdy dark-skinned man with shoulder length black hair. That shaggy hair was normally confined to a warrior wolf tail behind his head, so it took a moment for Zuko to recognize his friend Sokka. Sokka, however immediately noticed Zuko…and his anger.

Sokka walked into the circle of waterbenders and bowed low before Zuko. "Welcome to the Northern City, Fire Lord Zuko," he said, projecting his voice and disturbing many people on the castle terraces. "It is a great and wonderful day to have you as our guest. Can I get you anything?" he asked still theatrically and very loud.

Zuko and his victim stared at Sokka who looked rather smug. The Fire Lord slowly lowered the man and the man quickly stepped back to adjust his parka and inspect the damage. Zuko turned his attention back to his old friend. "Thank you for your warm welcome Chief Sokka. I hope to see that the rest of your nation has the manners of you, and not your fellow water tribesman."

Sokka let out a snicker. The swordsman had grown similarly to Zuko since the war. Although he had no bending to practice, his weapons training was definitely keeping him active. Once Sokka became a sword master, he moved on to daggers and from daggers, he picked up a bo staff. From his letters and scarce visits, Zuko could see that he was become a fine leader for a warrior tribe. "Ignore him," the new Wolf Chief said, "he's just all nervous and anxious."

"Mmm." The Fire Lord said nothing, but glared at the perpetrator to assure him that it was not a reasonable excuse for his actions.

"So, are you headed straight to the oasis? It seems you're a bit early," Sokka said looking at the sun.

"No, not yet. Katara wished to meet with us the moment we got here," the Fire Lord said, wondering but not questioning about the oasis. The only memories of the oasis he had were being bested and then besting the waterbender he was trying to meet with now.

"Sure, I'll show you where she's staying," Sokka said gesturing for them to follow down a hallway with him.

"Woah, hold it," the man said jumping in their way. "No one is allowed to see her beforehand."

Sokka rolled his eyes, "No Hahn," he said, emphasizing the lack of title in his name, "that's just you. Anyone else can go and see her just fine."

"Not him," Hahn said, glaring at the Fire Lord. "He can't go see her."

The Wolf Chief folded his arms. "Why not? Because he's Fire Nation?"

Iroh saw Zuko's jaw clench as the man before them sneered. "Besides that, he was given this," Hahn said as he thrust the scorched paper in Sokka's face. "What the hell does that mean?" the Northern tribesman asked angrily.

Sokka looked at the design painted on the sad-looking crumpled envelope. He furrowed his eyebrows. "This is-" he began.

"I know!" Hahn exclaimed. "This is an outrage, who does he think he is?" said the furious tribesman, pointing accusatorily. The targeted Fire Lord nearly growled.

"No Hahn," Sokka said grinning. "This is reminiscent of when Katara was captured by some pirates. The Fire Lord and I had to save her, but this one scrawny, annoying pirate had taken her necklace. This guy just would not leave her alone. But after a few run-ins with my old boomerang, he realized he was no match for the future Wolf Chief…and we got the necklace back."

"Master Pakku's necklace?" Hahn asked in wonderment.

"Yes, that one. Anyway, we had quite an adventure with this pirate and so this symbol doesn't exactly mean the same to us as is does to the rest of the tribes." Sokka shoved the smaller obstacle to the side and continued his walk down the hall.

Once they were past a few corners Iroh said, "You know, I don't exactly remember the pirate story the same young chief."

"What are you talking about?" Sokka said grumbling, "That's exactly how it happened."

Iroh laughed as Sokka gave them instructions to Katara's chambers. Although they were now shielded from the wind, the air seemed just as cold, determined to chill whoever walked through its halls. As they walked through a particularly large corridor, Zuko couldn't help but wonder how great her bending must be to have gotten her such a high-status living state. Perhaps she had even built it herself. As they got to the large doors, he stopped. His uncle looked at him expectantly as he took in two deep breaths. On the third one, he placed his hand upon the ice door, and pushed it open.


	3. The ice was so cold

**Kata  
**

**The ice was so cold…**

Although Katara sat upon a fur covered chair and had lived in the arctic most of her life, she couldn't stop shivering. She wanted to feel the warm hands of her father around her, or to bury herself in Appa's fur or just bask in the warmth of the sun. The waterbender wanted to be anywhere but the Northern City at the full Sturgeon Moon.

Her melancholy thoughts were interrupted as she heard the door open. She closed her eyes to swallow any tears that may have developed. One can only cry 'tears of joy' so many times. Perhaps it was Yagoda fetching her for the ceremony. It wasn't quite midday, but who knew what tiny traditional rituals she would need to go through?

When she heard no one beckoning to her, she turned around to face the door. Standing nearly six feet tall was a man she had never seen before. He was wearing red and seemed to be shivering slightly. He had black hair about the same length as her brother's, but it was pulled into a top knot with a golden crown. His face was very handsome, but she had seen a similar scar on only one other person…

"Zuko?!" she cried in wonderment and amazement as she bounded out of her chair and leapt forward to give him a giant hug. She noticed it was harder to get her arms around him that it was when she hugged Aang, but nuzzled into his fire cloak nonetheless.

The Fire Lord was stunned, to understate matters. He had walked into the room expecting a young, fiery girl in a long simple braid wearing the trademark blue parka that was so common among her people. After a moment of the foreign contact, he rested his unsure arms around her shoulders.

Katara smiled as his arms warmed her. She had lost most of her hope that he would come. Nightmares of his refusal, poor timing, or disinterest had haunted her for a week after she sent the letter. It wasn't until she had resigned herself to the belief that he would not come did those dreams stop…and worse ones began. She couldn't bring herself to stop smiling as she pulled away from the spontaneous hug and looked at him.

"You've grown so much," she said, admiring his straight nose and strong chin. But then again, Zuko had always had strong features, and she felt a bit foolish that she had not recognized him at once.

"You have not stayed the same either, Master Katara," Iroh said cheerfully, peeking out from behind his nephew in the doorway.

"Uncle Iroh!" the woman exclaimed childishly. Zuko swiftly stepped aside as she ran to give the Dragon a hug. She had always called him 'Uncle,' probably a habit that she picked up from the admiring stories Zuko would tell around the fire. As Iroh began to make pleasantries with her, Zuko was able to look at the new waterbender. The only similarity between the Katara in his mind and the Katara that was currently hugging his uncle was the color blue. Long gone was the young girl; replaced by a strong, graceful woman. The waterbender's eyes were powdered to enhance her enchanting eyes and he had never before noticed her full lips. Her modest braid was dolled up to cascade around her face like frozen waves and the curls flowed as she moved. She was nearly the height of the Dragon; he hadn't noticed that she came all the way up to his chin.

"I-I can't believe you actually came," she said, stepping back to look at both of them.

"So you've lost trust in us?" the Fire Lord said callously, insulted by her lack of faith.

"No, of course not," she said, shaking her head, causing the curls in her hair to flow distractingly. She folded her hands and looked down towards her feet. "I've been a horrible friend. There is no excuse or reason that justifies my actions, or inactions. I should have written to you when I knew Aang would be here, or I should have sent messengers along with the ambassadors. I was just so caught up in my own life and struggles…"

It was then that the two firebenders took note of the dress that the apologizing waterbender wore. A fabric similar to silk flowed up from the floor to meet at her shoulders, which led to sleeves of gauze. It was not nearly the skin that she had shown on the islands, but a drastic difference from the fur lined warrior coat.

"I didn't want to bother you," she finished, looking ashamed.

"Bother me?" Zuko asked, wondering how she thought she could bother him.

"Of course," she said, looking at him in almost wonder. "You're the Fire Lord. You have an entire nation to run and a world to keep peacefully together alongside my brother, Aang, and the Earth Kingdom. It would just be conceited for me to think that you would take time to read a stupid letter from a childish overacting girl." Her face had turned darker with her blush and she refused to look at either of them.

Zuko snorted. "Well that's stupid," he said and crossed his arms. He did not see his uncle smile knowingly. He noticed the waterbender's eyes flash with anger, but that was quickly doused with fear as a knock came to the door. When Iroh walked toward the door to get it she bounded in front of him and made stopping motions.

"Just a moment," she said loudly to the person on the other side of the door. She looked around frantically and saw the wardrobe. It was a magnificent piece of work with seals and penguins and deer carved into the front of it, but more importantly, it was large. Large enough to fit two firebenders. She opened the heavy door, pushed the clothes to one side and ushered in Iroh, and nearly pushed Zuko in after him. She gently closed the doors, careful not to make a sound encasing the two visitors in darkness.

Although unorthodox, the Fire Lord and the Dragon had already surmised that their presence was not exactly meant to be public. At first, Zuko was unhappy about being shoved in a closet with his uncle, whom he recently realized did not get a chance to bathe this week, but the close proximity with another body, and all of the fur coats began to unthaw his frozen bones. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath so that he could better listen to the outside.

He heard the rustling of her dress as she hurried across the room and then a pause of sound before she opened the door. Zuko could nearly see her gently adjusting her now curly hair in her haste. After the door had been opened, he heard much more solid steps into the room. The heavy steps nearly circumvented the entire room before they stopped. A harsh voice coughed and Zuko wondered if the person was having a staring match with Katara.

He noticed his uncle had stopped rustling, but was softly and carefully tracing something on his arm. When Zuko realized his uncle was writing something, he tried to imagine his arm as paper and could tell that Iroh was making characters, but couldn't string them together. Frustrated, the Fire Lord produced a small flame, like a candle in the middle of his palm so that he could see what his uncle was trying to say.

The candle flame played interestingly upon the face of the Dragon, highlighting lines in his face that Zuko hadn't noticed before. Iroh's deep golden eyes were wide and serious and he was trying to mouth a word.

It wasn't an entire sentence, just a single word. It began with an 'ah' sound, that much the Fire Lord could pick up on. Then it ended with an 'oo'. After a few moments of not getting much past the vowels, Zuko of course grew impatient.

He gritted his teeth and mouthed 'what are you talking about?' Although his uncle was a great advisor and master firebender, and questionably talented musician, he was not a lip reader. So when his face grew puzzled, Zuko became even more frustrated. Iroh understood the angered look in his nephew's eyes and decided to take a different approach.

He grabbed a tendril from his nephew's flame and began to write letters in the dark air with the fire. Zuko could finally make out what his uncle was trying to say. He relinquished the fire and let his hand drop.

P…it was nice and easy to see in the dark wardrobe. A…it was getting harder to see it through the smoke. He couldn't make out the next letter because of smoke and the other flame. Zuko furrowed his brow as did his uncle. He sniffed the smoky air, and realized that although he had extinguished his flame and his uncle had stopped writing, fire was very much present in the small wardrobe.

He imagined his eyes went as wide as his uncle's when they realized that one of the fluffier furs had been inadvertently set aflame in the middle of Zuko's frustrations. Both master firebenders panicked, and began to pat the fur coat rapidly in an attempt to quell the fire.

--outside the wardrobe--

When Katara opened the door, she paled. It caused her made-up cheeks to look rosier and her blue eyes widened. She stepped aside so the intimidating visitor could step in and she bowed her head slightly. The tall man walked in with no regard and barely acknowledged the woman in the room. He slowly walked around the room, inspecting everything. She held her breath as he passed the wardrobe, but beyond the sneer that was permanently a part of his expression, he gave it no other thought. He wandered with his hands behind a straight back and finally paused at the fur covered chair she had been sitting.

"You look passable," he said simply, finally looking at the other waterbender.

Katara bowed her head. "Thank you Master Pakku," she said reverently, "that means much coming from you."

His sneer turned into a small smile. "I came here to make sure that you were presentable to the court. You are no longer a child able to run and play as you wish. From this day forward, you will represent the royalty of the Water Nation, and your actions reflect not only on your master but on your entire people."

"Yes Master Pakku," the young woman said, not quite meeting his eyes.

"I am happy to see that you have gained the wisdom of a woman and thrown away that foolish fire of youth." She gritted her teeth, but said nothing. Pakku had never warmed up to the idea of her being a warrior, especially when the war turned to peace time. He did not let her join or instruct classes and scolded her harshly when he found her practicing. The elder master had taken up the unusual hobby of following her within the palace walls to make sure she did not make a 'negative' or 'wrongful' impression on any visiting diplomats, or even more importantly, young female waterbenders.

Pakku was pleased that she did not retort with her usual hot-headed response. Since she was going to become the Chief's bride, she had to learn her place in the royal family as a woman. Although she was a renowned war hero, that was a simple necessity in a desperate time. He approached the quiet woman. "I see you still wear Kanna's necklace," he noted quietly, reaching out to touch it.

She looked up into his light cold eyes. "I never take it off," she nearly murmured.

His eyes softened with kindness, "That will change after today."

Katara stepped back from him, grabbing the necklace herself, horrified. "Wh-what?!"

"It is an engagement necklace. After today, you are no longer engaged and you cannot wear it anymore. It will be your job to keep it safe until your daughter is old enough to become betrothed as well."

His soothing words did nothing to ease the horrified expression from her face. "I will make you another," he said. "More beautiful and appropriate for a wife and mother."

"I don't need another," she said sternly, grasping the necklace even tighter.

He frowned and stepped towards her menacingly. "Then I will-"

Katara had dropped into a stance, ready to defend herself, but they had both stopped moving when they heard rustling from her wardrobe. She looked on fearfully as he looked on suspiciously.

He straightened again, having regained his lost composure. "And what, pray tell was that?" he asked darkly approaching the wardrobe.

Katara began to sweat. If the two men were found out in her wardrobe, there would not only be a scandal but an international crisis. "It's nothing, nothing!" she exclaimed, watching the dangerous man approach her execution.

"Really?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, reaching his hand out towards the handle.

"Fine!" she yelled, and saw his hand stop. "It's-it's-they're-"

She stopped, horrified and clapped her hands over her mouth as his frown grew.

"They're-they're-a couple of…of…leopard-seals…" she said quietly.

After a moment of him observing her bashful face, "Why?"

"I was missing the Southern Tribe," she said, thinking wildly. "There aren't any leopard-seals in the Northern water. I had one of Sokka's tribesmen bring me a pair of cub-pups when he arrived a week ago."

Pakku's face changed from incredulous to almost repulsed as he backed away from the wardrobe. "There is no reason those disgusting things should be in your room. You will remove them at once and place them in a pool, inside the palace if you must."

She sighed and bowed her head once more. "Thank you Master Pakku."

He nodded, his normal chilling self and left the room. She leaned against the door and put a hand over her face. Her anger began to grow as she walked towards the place of trouble. When she opened the doors forcefully she saw a guilty looking Dragon and an indifferent Fire Lord. They both blinked a few times at the bright light of the room, and she could see Iroh take in a deep breath. She also saw that the sleeve on her favorite winter parka had been badly singed. She took in a breath herself and walked away from the open closet.

She sat in front of the vanity and began placing small sapphires on her head. Zuko watched as the silver-lined gems accented her dark brown hair and was surprised that she had not unleashed her scalding rage upon his uncle and himself. "The ceremony is being held in the oasis. Go to the ceremony and wait for me there. Be sure to stay for the reception, there are going to be wonderful foods from all over the Northern and Southern tribes. Late in the evening, as everyone else is leaving, return to your ship and leave."

The two firebenders stared at the woman who was adjusting her dress. Lost was the happy girl that had greeted them, and in her place was a dejected woman giving sad orders with a shaky tone. The Fire Lord was unexpectedly hurt at her dismissal. He had hoped that this dire letter sent to him in such secrecy was more than an invitation, but he began to realize that she had just been playing the dangerous part that she had missed.

Katara stood from the mirror, glittering and tall. She gave a bow to the men and began to escort them out. As she touched Zuko's arm she noticed that it lacked the familiar heat he normally had. "Zuko…" she whispered.

"Hmm," he said, nearly glaring down at her.

She motioned for him to wait just a moment and stepped out of the room. A few minutes later she returned with a large red bundle. When she shook it open he saw that it was lined with light brown fur throughout the entire robe. She smiled wide and asked, "Are you cold?"

He stared at her, not knowing the proper procedure for such an attitude change. She walked around him and flung it over his shoulders. Although a little large, it immediately began to keep in the heat of his body and he began to feel the Northern ice relinquish his body. She began to button up the warm overcoat, making the heat travel to his face.

"I had this made when I sent the letter. I didn't know how much you had grown, but Sokka said that you were a little taller than him. I hope you like the color; it is hard to find red in the markets here."

Zuko continued to stare at the smiling woman. Once she finished the last clasp near his burning neck, she gave him a full look-over to make sure that the sleeves were wide enough and the length was enough to cover his feet. When she seemed satisfied, she put her hands on her hips and said, "Well, it's time to get going."

She opened the door and peeked out down the hall. When the coast was clear she motioned for them to leave. "Remember," she said quietly, "wait for me, and then leave. It is important to wait."

The Fire Lord was puzzled by this quizzical statement, but said nothing as he enjoyed the warmth of his cloak and ignored his grinning uncle. They walked down the icy way in search of the battleground-turned-ceremony at the heart of the palace.

As the waterbender closed the door, she let out a huge sigh, followed by an unexpected giggle. She walked over to the mirror once more and picked up a bag stowed under the table on the way. As she looked at herself, she was relieved to notice the determined river-eyes looking back at her. She nodded to the woman and said, "It's time."


	4. The oasis was warm

The oasis was warm…

Many people were gathered in the sacred place. 'More than should be allowed,' the onlooker thought nastily. Down below, traitors were chatting with noble soldiers who had suffered for incompetent leaders. A snarl appeared on the hidden face while blue eyes remained emotionless.

The colors of the nations mingled on the soft green grass. The most abundant representatives were obviously from the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes, the blue and green greatly overshadowing the single brightness that was the Avatar. Briefly the onlooker wondered if that color was on purpose, further establishing the importance of this single being in the unsteady peace of the world. His voice and conversation were as light and jovial as the colors he wore and he flitted around the gathering, much more comfortable in his social role than he was just a few years ago.

The calm collective noise suddenly quieted and all eyes shifted towards the entrance to discover the disturbance. A few feminine gasps revealed the tall and scarred Fire Lord, looming in a long red cloak. He wore the trademark scowl of the royal family and slowly entered the glade, eyes roving over the crowd, and landing on a certain individual. With a slightly narrowed gaze he walked with more purpose to the center of the grotto, green and blue clad people parting the way like a river covered in leaves.

The Avatar met the Fire Lord's glare and it appeared he tried to make himself taller by straightening his back and pulling back his shoulders. This movement was useless however, because as the two benders met in the middle of the oasis, the Avatar was taller than the Fire Lord by quite a few inches. The firebender glared further; unhappy with the irony of having to literally look up to the young boy he had trained. The boy however soon broke into a grin and bowed low with hand over fist.

"Welcome to the Northern Water Tribe," he said formally. The red cloaked man bowed slightly. The grin did not fade on the taller bender's face as he pulled an unsuspecting Fire Lord into a hug. "It's great to see you again Sifu Hotman!" he exclaimed loudly. Warmth began to build up in the firebender, although whether from rage or embarrassment was yet to be discovered.

This outlandish action caused a commotion among the people and they began to heatedly whisper among themselves. The Fire Lord stood as still as a statue, waiting for the Avatar to dislodge himself. When the boy did, his grin was even wider. Zuko couldn't help but smile a little, but it was soon replaced with the all too familiar stoicism he was known for. They began to speak about political matters that could have waited for a more formal atmosphere, but Aang knew that his friend and teacher was nervous, and allowed the sterile politics to calm the firebender. After the episode, he noticed a familiar Dragon out of the corner of his eye approach some women from the Earth Kingdom, but stopped peering when he heard giggles arise from their little contingent and continued discussing the possibility of a second pilgrimage with the fiery leader.

Blue eyes watched the whole occurrence, and a smirked appeared unseen. Quietly, fur-lined boots left abandoned the hidden post.

--

Zuko gradually relaxed as his conversation continued with his former pupil. It had been nearly a year since the Avatar had been to the Fire Nation, and he was always welcoming of the young peacekeeper. Even in the Fire Nation, the Fire Lord detested these small gatherings, and a gathering of nobles from the other nations was nothing to ease his discomfort. The political conversation between the Avatar and his former instructor soon turned to their companions that were now strewn across the world.

Appa and Momo were currently banished to the Air Temple by their human friend. Apparently, the last time the Avatar had come to the northern city, Momo had disrupted an important meeting with an ambassador from the Earth Kingdom and Appa had scared the earthbenders on their ships.

In Omashu, Toph was helping out the Earth King and Avatar by being an informant of the feelings of the people. From her correspondence, the Earth people had calmed down and were no longer itching for revenge on the Fire Nation. In fact, the Earth Kingdom seemed pretty set in how things were going. There was more movement in Toph's dealings with her family than anything else. Being the city's Master Earthbender, even surpassing King Bumi, was not a title the Bei Fong family had been prepared to have bestowed on their blind daughter. After a few months of feuding between her parents, Toph had decided that it was best for her to stay on her own in the city, working for King Bumi in his tournaments to earn her keep.

Haru was working alongside her in the Avatar's information network. His livelihood was that of a construction worker, and he monitored the lower levels of Omashu. Toph's reports were written in his handwriting and given her literal "stamp" of approval, and he acted as a relay between her and her friends' letters. Aang informed the Fire Lord that Toph had refused to come to the northern city, claiming that she "would never be considered blind again" and Haru had also not been able to make the trip.

When the conversation turned towards Suki, their voices dropped. Although a small passion had lit between her and Sokka, the rise to Wolf Chief had demanded sacrifices from the couple. This resulted in feuds and not long after the first pilgrimage of the Avatar, Suki had returned to Kyoshi Island. Once she set foot on solid earth again, she had been revered as a great Kyoshi warrior, and taken a small contingent of women with her to spread the Kyoshi message, eventually settling in Ba Sing Se. From her studio there, she also remained in contact with the Avatar and let him know of the happenings of the Dai Li.

Zuko revealed that Tai Li had gone back to the circus. With Azula no longer breathing down her neck, she was free to tumble to her heart's content, but more importantly keep the morale of the Fire Nation high. Mai had grown bored with Zuko as his duties of Fire Lord kept him impossibly busy and their low profile relationship had soon had an amiable split. She was now in charge of the Boiling Rock, with the passing of her uncle.

As the Fire Lord finished the reports on the Fire Nation women, a boisterous Wolf Chief joined in their conversation. He did not attempt to hug Zuko, but gave him a proper welcoming through a firm handshake. "It's great to see you guys again," his deep voice said. "Feels like it's been forever since we've all seen each other." The two men nodded, one with a wide grin, the other with a small smile. "Thanks for running the ceremony Aang," Sokka said, putting his hand on the tall Avatar's shoulder. "And thanks for being here Zuko." A hand was placed on the Fire Lord's shoulder. "I'm glad that we have friends here to celebrate with us. It's a great moment in Water Tribe history."

Although his words were ones of happiness, his tone was far from it. The warrior looked almost sad, and his smile was gone. After some prompting from Aang, Sokka confessed, "I really don't like Hahn. He talks to Katara like she's stupid and I know it bothers her. She would never go through this if there wasn't council pressure on her," he said darkly. The Avatar nodded solemnly.

Zuko began to realize how little of the situation he knew. All he knew was that a moody waterbender had nearly begged him to put his entire country on hold for a week so that he could stop by her room, get shoved in a closet, and then get dismissed without a second glance. What was going on to make Sokka so glum, and even Aang less than cheerful?

Sokka suddenly looked up, his face switching from glum to almost angry. Zuko looked in the direction of his friend's angry glare and could feel the urge to frown himself. The object of repulsion had changed from the normal water tribe parka to a longer, simpler blue robe. A wolf pelt was draped over his shoulders, denoting prestigious class. The robe was lined in snow-white fur and as he moved, matching boots appeared from under the simple robe. The figure caused many of the conversations to pause and would have been considered impressive, if the Fire Lord, Wolf Chief, and Avatar hadn't taken such note of his smirk.

It wasn't until Hahn had taken it upon himself to join the three leaders that the chief and the Avatar noticed that despite the decorative wolf and patriotic colors, Hahn and Zuko's robes were nearly identical.

"Aang," he said, bowing low, "it is an honor to have you here today. Thank you for residing over the ceremony."

"Hey," Sokka nearly interrupted, "you are to address him by his proper title. 'The Avatar' will suffice."

"I'm so sorry for my slip of the tongue," he said oily. "Perhaps I've been spending too much time with Katara." He bowed low to the Avatar, keeping his eyes on the now smoldering Wolf Chief. "Please forgive me Avatar, I meant no offense."

Zuko was almost wary that his friend would spontaneously learn firebending just to decimate the pathetic man before them. Sokka's jaw was clenched, the muscles of his neck were strained, and his fists were nearly shaking. Although Aang did not show his annoyance, the Fire Lord could see it in his eyes. "So Katara speaks of me often?" the Avatar asked cautiously, trying to divert the direction of the conversation.

"She holds you in very high regard, sir." Hahn straightened and turned towards the enraged Wolf Chief. "We speak of many things…_intimately_."

Aang and Zuko were able to read Sokka's pounce before he left the ground. They caught him as he struggled to get his hands on the other water tribesman. "How dare you talk about my sister like that!" he yelled.

"I can talk about my wife however I please," Hahn said inspecting his fingernails, while keeping his eyes on the snarling wolf of a man.

"She is not your wife yet!" Sokka exclaimed.

Zuko could feel his eyes widen and his grip loosen at his latest discovery. Katara was getting…_married_? This was unexpected, to say the least. Aang noticed the change in the Fire Lord's expression and calmly demanded Sokka to calm down. Hahn was accompanied with growled threats as Pakku entered the clearing, signifying that the ceremony was about to start.

The leader of the Southern Water Tribe led his red-cloaked guest towards the pool that held the endless circle of Tui and La. Zuko followed suit as his old friend sat on a lush fur and watched his other friend approach the pool alongside Pakku and Hahn. After a few moments of whispering among them, they faced the crowd. The quiet talking among the watchers died as a low Sungi horn demanded silence. The Avatar stepped forward and gazed among the crowd before he began to speak.

"Visitors to the Northern City, I welcome you. I welcome you to partake in the joy that today brings. As long as the moon has risen and the ocean has ebbed and flowed, the tribes of the North and South have cradled our world, dividing themselves, a feat no other nation has attempted. The Air Nomads would travel in ancient times, always in a close group supporting unmoving, bound by pride of their great empire. Even the Fire Nation remains a great people of unity."

Zuko could practically feel all the eyes turn to him as the Avatar mentioned his homeland. He forced himself to look forward as the speech continued.

"Long have the Water Tribes been divided yet remained strong. Such an honorable feat can only be done by people who are strong of heart and mind. Like the ocean that bonded them from so far apart, they have remained a force to be reckoned with in our world. And today, we join in celebration at the bonding of two individuals to bring the Tribe of the Seal and the Tribe of the Wolf together."

Zuko and Sokka stared at the Avatar trying to process his words. The years had changed Aang from a confused young boy to a strong well-spoken man. Sokka was pondering over all of the water references in the speech; he was rather sensitive to such adjectives since he himself was not a bender. The fiery man sitting next to him, who was silently accompanied by his uncle not long after the speech had started, wondered why a tribe would want to be known as one of the seals.

As the man in yellow finished his proclamation, the entire oasis was silent. Someone coughed in the background. A cricket-hopper began to chirp in a corner. A man from Kyoshi, who favored the water tribe garb, began to wail his appreciation. This appreciation soon bubbled over in the form of rabid-like foam. Although extremely unorthodox, this sparked a round of applause and agreeable murmurs for the now blushing Avatar. He stepped aside and allowed the master of the Northern City to begin chanting an ancient hymn to the ice and water around them.

Suddenly, the former Wolf Chief was kneeling beside his predecessor, whispering frantically in his son's ear. Sokka's face surprisingly showed no emotion as he listened attentively. Zuko thought he could see the man's eyes harden a moment after the quiet message had been delivered, but it was gone with a simple nod of his head before he quickly and quietly got up to abandon the Fire Lord. Not wanting to seem like he was ignoring the chant, Zuko refrained from turning to see where the two warriors were going and looked forward, wondering what a water tribe marriage ceremony would be like.

--

"What do you mean she's gone?" Sokka asked quietly.

Hakoda frowned as he heard Pakku's chant come to an end. They were running out of time. "When the attendant went to escort her, she wasn't in her room. And she wasn't in her dress; it was lying discarded on the floor."

Sokka's eyes grew big. "Why is Katara missing? More importantly, why is she naked?"

Hakoda sighed as the Avatar walked into the hallway. They could see clearly into the oasis clearing and Master Pakku was waiting impatiently. "What's wrong?" Aang asked, noticing the panicked looks.

"Katara has gone missing," Hakoda said.

"And she's naked!"

Aang stared at Sokka, unsure of how to respond. Their little meeting was brought to an abrupt stop as Pakku entered and demanded to know where the bride was.

--

A line was formed all around the oasis, kept strictly in order by the harsh gaze of the grizzled waterbender. Whether to avoid a panic or possibly cause one, Zuko wasn't sure. It was apparent that the female master was missing, but did they really expect abduction? Most of the people in the line had no idea what was going on. The destination of the line was the Avatar and a small girl, sitting on a firm area of grass, where questions of seemingly innocent nature were asked. The Fire Lord and his uncle however, knew that the Avatar had picked up a particularly interesting way of detecting lies using this sarcastic girl from Gaoling.

One by one, the people were given a nod of approval and allowed to leave. Hahn was physically growing more and more irritable by the minute, barking increasingly accusing questions. Zuko's uncle was in front of him in the line and as they approached the Avatar, his uncle began to smile. And then hum. The Fire Lord was afraid that he might break out into song, but then their turn arrived.

Aang had his eyes closed but smiled a little as the dragon stepped upon the solid ground from the snow. "Welcome General Iroh." The old man bowed in return and stood calmly. Toph gave him a big hug and after a short greeting, Iroh began answering the questions freely. When he was dismissed he whispered to Zuko, "I am returning now."

The Fire Lord's face became puzzled. There were many times when he thought his uncle was losing his mind, but this would hardly be the best situation for such an event to occur. He stepped onto the grass and faced his former student. The Avatar took a deep breath and Zuko instinctively matched his breathing. Through their firebending training, the two masters had learned to cooperate and work together, and since all of firebending draws strength from breath, the first thing the boys had learned to do was breathe cooperatively.

The young girl decked out in green grinned as the red cloaked man stepped up. Although Toph would never grow as tall as the rest of her friends, she had become taller. However, she had not become less androgynous and if it weren't for his history with the powerful earthbender, he would not have known how to address the girl.

"Nice to finally see you Sparky," she sniggered. "I'm impressed you were able to find your way off your tiny island to socialize a little."

He smiled a little. "It's good to see you too. I assume you've been keeping busy."

"Of course," she grinned evilly. When Aang raised an eyebrow she said, "With honorable and noble acts of good will."

"Do you know where Katara is?" Aang asked simply, keeping his meditative posture and eyes closed.

"No I do not," Zuko replied.

Toph nodded.

"When was the last time you saw her?"

"A few hours ago," the firebender replied. "She was still in the palace."

The earthbender nodded again.

"Where did you see her?"

Zuko paused for a moment. It had been made very clear that Katara didn't want others to know of their meetings. "I met her in the hallway on my way to the ceremony."

Unseeing light grey eyes looked towards him. Zuko could feel their gaze penetrating his lie easily. He had never been as adept as his sister at such deception. The Fire Lord nearly gasped or sighed when the girl nodded her head.

"Very well," the tall man said, nodding. "You may go."

Before the Fire Lord could leave the oasis, the jilted man jumped in his way. "You're not getting off that easily," he exclaimed. This caused quiet gray eyes to open.

"I know this is frustrating," Aang began, "but we know he's not ly-"

"He is!" the water soldier yelled desperately. "Why else would he be here when no one knew about it! Why else would Katara send him a message to see her before the ceremony? He knows something! He has to!"

The Fire Lord was once again wondering if killing this soldier would start another world war or be considered a global service. The Avatar's eyes narrowed in frustration. Although he was a patient man, there were some things that tried it more than others. Accusing noble friends of dishonorable deeds was one of them. "Hahn," he said firmly, "You are accusing the Fire Lord of being involved in a plot to steal one of the world's most powerful waterbenders on the day of the full moon, in a palace made of ice and snow, which resides in a city surrounded by the ocean. I understand this is difficult for you, but I will not have you making ridiculous accusations against one of my closest friends. If you have no proof that he knows something, you will let him pass, or I will remove you myself."

The clearing was completely silent. All eyes were on the young Avatar and the impertinent water tribesman. Hahn attempted to stare down the threatening figure, but could not keep the cool gaze forever and turned away in fury towards Master Pakku. Aang turned from the unhappy man to the accused and gave a small nod, dismissing him.

Zuko pulled the cloak around himself tightly and quickly left before he was drawn into a fight. The guards at the gate gave him dark looks but let him through the sharp ice. The Fire Lord quickly made his way to the docks, occasionally asking a merchant for directions in the confusing city.

When he got to the shipyard he was stunned and furious to find that his ship was gone. Although he desired nothing more than to melt their precious city, he took a deep breath and began to look around the yard for something that might point to the next step. As he stood tall and stoic, clouds forming from his heated breath, he felt a tug on his cloak. He looked down to see the young boy that had captained the canoe that his uncle had insisted on using to the palace.

"If you are looking for your boat, the old man said it would be at the southern cape," the boy offered. Zuko nodded and began to walk off when he heard a cough. He turned to see the boy seemingly innocently holding out his hand. The man growled slightly and tossed a few silver coins in the boy's hand. He left quickly, despite the boy's exuberant thanking.

Once he had left the borders of the city, he noticed the thin grey cloud that pointed the direction of his ship. Normally it would have stood out very starkly, but the sun was already halfway below the horizon and the sky was darkening. He came to a large tundra plain and the smoke trail revealed the ship's location as behind an ice berg. Zuko began to notice the cold on the windy plain; Katara's gift had kept him warm in the city. He huddled into the fur lining and began his trek across the long tundra.

When he was nearly halfway to the berg, he felt a shift in the ground beneath him. It felt like Toph was getting ready to throw a nice large earthquake beneath him. He bent his knees and jumped high into the air as he felt the vibration suddenly increase. He landed low and turned to see several waterbenders in aggressive fighting stances. He had just barely managed to avoid being buried in an avalanche of snow that he had mistaken for an earthquake.

There was no mistake that these warriors were looking to fight now and have civilized conversation later. Zuko began to calculate whether it would be better to fight or flee. He was undoubtedly a magnificent firebender and those soldiers had not even stopped him when he was a teenager. However, he could feel the ice melt under his warming feet, which would make for deadly dancing on the ice. He had almost made his choice when he realized that his warm sun was gone and replaced by an icy cold light.

The moon was climbing in the sky, large and grey…and full. The entire plain was cast in silver light and he could feel his fire grow weaker. Zuko began to sprint for the ship. As much of a master as he was, it would be foolish to take on four waterbending soldiers under a full moon. The robe flapped open as he ran, quickly chilling his body. He heard the waterbenders behind him and wondered how many had mastered the art of moving upon the water like the girl used to.

Apparently, half of them.

Two soldiers flanked him quickly and were closing in on him quickly, no doubt to engulf him in their avalanching steeds. Before he got trapped between the rushing piles of snow, he took a deep breath and expended some of his precious heat in a stream under the one on his right. As the icy hill became unstable, the warrior atop of it lost his concentration and was forced to stop. Zuko was prepared to do the same for the one on his left, but saw the rider lose control of the element and get devoured himself.

The other two were quickly gaining on him, used to running in ice and snow rather than riding on it. The iron ship was just in sight, silhouetted against the full bright moon. He had begun to hope, but then heard the rushing sound of water come toward his head. The Fire Lord halted in mid-stride and ducked low, waiting for the water to go over to give him time to retaliate. As he stood, preparing to unwillingly unleash fire upon these soldiers, the ground began to shake again. But by the looks of the unsteady warriors, it was not of their doing.

This shaking felt much more like Toph was trying to demolish an entire village. The ground was shaking in all directions and he couldn't find the source. A large tremor brought him to a knee and he saw the warriors stumble as well. Amid the shaking he heard a large CRACK like lighting, and for a moment he looked up to the clear sky to make sure there weren't any dark clouds. But as he looked across the ice, he noticed a large crevice running towards the three benders.

The ice became increasingly unstable and large pieces began to fall from the seemingly sturdy ground. Zuko felt the ice give way under his base foot and he rolled to the side to avoid falling to the black, ice cold ocean. He saw the icy sinkholes appear just before they collapsed and kept a close watch on the ground around him while keeping an eye on the water warriors in front of him.

One of the sinkholes began to appear under the water tribesman nearest to him, and the young man was not able to get out of it in time. The Fire Lord saw the man disappear and feared briefly for the man, but noticed his gloves grasping at the edges of the sinkhole. A moment later, the man's head appeared. The other tribesman crawled over to his companion to help pull him out of the hole.

Zuko admired this brave rescue but his attention was drawn to the lightning quick split in the ground that was almost engulfing them. More specifically, it was almost engulfing the two soldiers struggling with the sinkhole. The firebender stood shakily on the moving ground, more steady than the others thanks to his experiences in the Earth Kingdom before the war. He began to run, only instead of away from his pursuers, he began running towards them. Together the two blue clad men were standing and the moment they regained stability, they were tackled by a determined firebender.

Just as quickly, the red robed figure sprinted back, barely getting on the other side of the moving crevasse. The man continued to run towards the safe haven of the iron ship, leaving behind two water tribesman looking after him. Once the Fire Lord was within a stone's throw of his ship, the ground stopped shaking, and the waterbenders decided to go back to the city.

Zuko thought as though his heart would burst as he dodged sinkholes and smaller cracks in the ground. The robe was flowing freely and wasn't keeping in the warmth that he was used to and his legs ached from the shaking ground. It wasn't until he could feel the heat from the ship that the ground stood still, but he didn't stop to appreciate the blessing until he was on the deck and had ordered the soldiers to sail.

He looked back at the hunters to see if they were prepared. A sigh of relief came as he saw that they were just as taken off guard as he had been. Zuko pulled the ruffled fur closer to regain heat as he readied for a battle that was sure to come when the entire Water Tribe pursued him.


	5. The metal was cool

**Kata  
**

**The metal was cool…**

But victory was sweet as quiet blue eyes watched the men move on board the ship. She was out of breath and was grateful for the full moon's light as she looked for a place to hide. Nothing seemed particularly available, so she scampered between some crates and the iron of the side of the ship. She felt and heard the thundering of running feet up the waiting ramp and onto the deck. Her breath was held as the ship left the shore silently and she waited until there was more movement on deck before she trusted herself to breathe again.

She looked up at the now moving night sky and couldn't help but grin. Oh the rush of bending again! She had forgotten what wonderful things she could do with simple ice and snow. The moon pulled her spirit up and she couldn't help but relax with the soothing sailing motions of the boat. Katara had impressed herself with the display of power on the tundra. She had created her own tiny berg of ice right next to the ship and felt the water thrum through her veins. She knew that Hahn was no friend of the Fire Nation, and he would immediately suspect Zuko and wouldn't let them leave without a fight. When she saw the waterbenders chasing the figure in red, she threw in her experienced, yearning hand. As the two snowriders rode on their moving avalanches, with a simple yet elegant push followed by a sudden pull, she was able to completely demolish the base of their mounts. To ensure they would not continue to follow, she made sure that they were piled deep beneath the snow. With a deep stance like any self-respecting earthbender, she had forced the two sides of the plain apart when it seemed like Zuko still wouldn't make it. The familiar sweat of bending had begun to roll down her back and her arms had the wonderful ache of exertion, but she refused to stop the pull until she knew that the ship would receive her captain.

She still yearned to play with the water below, but that would definitely have to wait until she could figure out a delicate way to explain to the Fire Lord her actions, and more importantly the reasons behind those actions.

--

Iroh was definitely happy to see his nephew in one piece and even more ecstatic that he had done so without throwing any fire at his pursuers. Well, no fire to harm them anyway. His nephew stood in the bow, shadowed by the full moon that was climbing in the sky and he wondered how long it would take the Fire Lord to notice the small clouds of breath from behind the firewhisky crates.

--

Gold eyes scanned the waters around the ship, straining in even this bright night. Although the Fire Navy was unmatched, it would not take many waterbenders in silent canoes to bring their small troop back to the city. He let out a small growl of frustration.

Certainly the Northern Chief would not have sent those waterbenders after him. Could Hahn possibly have the clout and power to issue such an order? Or did Toph come to her right mind and tell the Avatar the truth? This was going to have serious ramifications and consequences on the unsteady treaty between the Fire Nation and Water Tribe at best. At worst…he shuddered, refusing to let his mind sink to such dismal thoughts.

When he fought to subdue his third yawn, he decided that it was time to retire, and so he began his nightly rounds. Although not as paranoid as he had been in his youth, he still felt it his duty to make sure that the ship was in proper order and that the soldiers were too. He began his search as he walked around the perimeter, noting that the ice from the city had made some unattractive scratches on his flagship. The anchor was clean as was its rope, and all of the life boats were in good repair. He noticed the crew's firewhisky crates on the starboard side and frowned. He did not want the crew drinking tonight, too many things needed watching.

As Zuko approached the large boxes, he noticed a small cloud coming from behind them in the chilly air. His immediate reaction froze him in his step. It could possibly be an assassin, sent to take out the young and now hunted Fire Lord. However, he was definitely within attack range, even the short range of a poisoned dagger, so that thought was wiped away. Then he rolled his golden eyes. After all, it was the firewhisky crate, and it was not uncommon to find a dozing cabin boy whenever there was work to be done, particularly this late at night. He strode over to the crates, ready to give the boy a harsh scalding scolding. But when he looked over the boxes, he froze.

And so did she.

And from across the deck, a dragon of the west encouraged the crew to keep their distance from their captain.

--

After the initial shock of suddenly seeing the angered Fire Lord, Katara was afraid that he was going to strike her. He definitely had that look in his eyes. She immediately put her hands up as she slowly rose from behind the boxes. She was slightly pleased that Zuko had accepted her gift, but was worried that he would burn in it right in front of her. She stepped away from the crates of explosive firewhisky but stayed close to the edge in case she needed to defend herself. Her eloquent dress was gone and replaced with a dark hunting outfit, similar to the one she used in tracking down her mother's killer. Her hair had been poorly bound and braided.

"Zuko," she said softly, "I can explain."

Her voice seemed to snap him out of his shock. Zuko hadn't been frozen by anger, but now the warmth of rage began to boil inside of him. For the last day he had been mislead by those he thought were friends, nearly started an international incident himself, forced to be civil in the middle of an oasis full of critical, ignorant nobles and been practically swallowed by ice and snow. And it was all at the expense of this girl in front of him. For weeks he had worried himself sleepless over her situation, and since she was missing at the palace he had been planning a tracking strategy. All for what? So she could lie to him, stow away on his ship and cause another war?

He ripped off the now stifling cloak and let it fall heavily to the ground. When she saw his hand engulfed in flame she pulled a familiar whip of water from the ocean. The crew had taken advice and stepped away from the two masters, but looked on with desperate excitement. The battles between the female waterbender and the prince of firebenders had become legendary and for the first time in over half a decade, the two met on the battlefield once more. The two benders circled each other, silently watching the other. Their muscles were twitching with anticipation, waiting for the other to attack.

Zuko's fury soon grew too great and he launched a strong fire ball towards the girl. Katara easily dodged the flaming projectile and sent a tendril of cold water towards his hand. As the liquid reached, it formed to ice to seal his weapon.

The two paused again. The Fire Lord didn't even look at his hand. With a flexion magnified with fire, the ice shattered as he made a fist and began his offensive barrage once more. It had been ages since he had seriously fought another bender that did not control fire. Her techniques were so different and he could tell that he was out of practice in anticipating her moves. But so was she. There were only so many training exercises the woman could do alone and fighting a master firebender was not one of them. Blasts of flame and knives of ice shot through the air as the two retraced countless battles.

The fury of the Fire Lord grew with the progression of the battle. Katara had abandoned him and then expected him to act as a puppet to reinvent her nostalgic fantasies. She had put his crew, his uncle and himself in danger and she had done it all by sullying the name of the Fire Nation. His fists were engulfed in flame and he already had her on the defensive. Zuko would definitely have been happy with this progression if he had been in his strategic state of mind, and if he didn't know that her waterbending was more effective when used defensively.

The firebender did not slow his attack at all. He immediately noticed that her defensive maneuvers were getting more and more desperate. Zuko surmised somewhere in the back of his mind that she must not have had any training partners since she split paths with the Avatar. She was not as stable as she moved around the ship and her hands were moving slower than they were at the beginning. Eventually, a flame pushed through a thin sheet of ice and licked at her shoulder.

She cried out and backed away from the angry ruler. Katara gently held her shoulder, feeling the pain of the burn, but noting that it wasn't disabling. However, the fury that Zuko attacked her with was much scarier than any time they dueled before. When he was in exile, the prince would fight for all that he had to gain, but now he fought for all that he had to lose. The waterbender knew that the favor she asked of the Fire Lord was one of great risk but she hadn't moved without precautions and safeties in place.

Her planning was brought to a flashing stop as the man quickly closed the distance between them. He was punching and kicking before she could bring up any water to shield her, causing her to rely on her evasion skills. And penguin-seals weren't quite as quick as the Fire Lord. She decided that the closer to the edge she could get the better. If she could just get over the railing, she could quickly call the water to her aid. As she started to move the fight over to the edge, Zuko caught on. He leaped around her to forcibly herd her back to the center.

The fight for battleground was tiring out Katara quickly. His strikes were getting closer; the heat from his fire was almost burning her at every turn. But if there was one thing Zuko was guilty of in his fighting style was that it he got overly offensive and aggressive. As he pulled up his foot to catch her with his heel, she dropped and swept his single leg. The Fire Lord fell ungracefully and the waterbender took no time to watch him get back up.

She ran, nearly fearing for her life. This rage in Zuko was almost the rage that she'd seen in Aang in the Avatar state. She was also tiring very fast. Her vision was blurring, her techniques had lost their crispness, and the burn on her shoulder was beginning to affect the ability in her left arm.

Zuko never expected the sweep and his head hit on the deck with a loud crack. For a moment he saw blackness, then that faded into stars. He blinked a few times, then quickly got to his feet, expecting her to attack him while he'd been useless. When he didn't sense her in the immediate vicinity, he widened his visual search. The dark woman was running towards a life boat, her messy hair flying in the wind. This caused the animal in Zuko to go mad. He had hunted her before, and he would capture her this time.

Katara leapt up onto the boat hanging off the side as she felt the heat of fire across her back. She saw a bright flame fly past where she had been standing only seconds before. As she reached out her right hand to gather the precious liquid surrounding them, Zuko had landed on the boat as well, rocking the vessel back and forth and throwing Katara off of her base. She grabbed the side of the boat and threw a rear kick towards the man, using her handle to grant her a brace. Surprisingly, she caught him square in the torso, forcing him off the shaking boat.

The Fire Lord saw the kick but could not avoid it, so although he'd been hit, he was much more prepared for it than the earlier sweep. He jumped backwards onto the deck as he was kicked to minimize damage and to gain a stronger base when he landed. She looked over her shoulder at him as he roared in rage. He leapt up and began to spin into a crescent kick.

When Katara saw him jump, she knew she was in a bad position. But when she stood, the fatigue finally caught up to her. Her vision blurred for a moment, but just a moment was all that the travel on his kick needed. His foot connected with the side of her head and it was the waterbender's turn to see darkness.

Zuko felt his foot hit something solid but it didn't register that he had landed his kick past the fury. He finished his spin and ignited his hands once more, ready to defend himself from the many openings he had just created. But the waterbender did not move at all. Her arms stayed limp by her sides and her eyes stared forward, unfocused. The Fire Lord saw her descent in slow motion.

She stumbled back slightly and her fingers brushed against the side of the boat. Her body moved as if she was going to take a seat, but the disconnected motion caused Zuko to leap forward. As he stepped in the boat, she stumbled again; only this time gravity pulled her body down to the black ocean that she loved so much. Her back bowed over the edge, almost like a diving leopard seal. The firebender launched himself from the side of the boat to grab her arm.

The searing pain from the fiery hand woke Katara with a scream. Zuko's fire that he had failed to extinguish burned quickly through her wraps and into her skin. He doused the flame right after her scream and immediately pulled her up into the boat.

--

Bright blue eyes surrounded by fur watched the entire scene, bored but transfixed. Although both benders had grown in skill in the past years, they were both very rusty in their fighting. The onlooker couldn't imagine that the Fire Lord would not attend to his daily training, but gave the excuse that firebending and waterbending were opposite styles. And the rumor that Fire Lord Zuko had hundreds of concubines from all of the nations was most likely false, so there weren't many waterbenders on his warm little island.

When the woman had made the man fall with a sneaky leg sweep, the watcher almost rejoiced. The look on the firebender's face was nearly priceless. But the man with the bright blue eyes stayed silent and reveled only in internal celebration.

It had only been an hour since Lieutenant Hahn had given the order to restrain the Fire Lord and keep him in the Northern City. Despite the arguments of the Avatar and Master Bei Fong, the young impetuous man would not listen to reason outside of his prejudice. The four elite guards that accompanied the King of the North, trained by Pakku himself, were sent out to fetch the young ruler, but when they came back, defeated and distraught, almost the entire navy was dispatched.

The problem with Hahn and his navy, however, was that they had limited relations with the Fire Nation and their technology, including their ships and the movements that they made. Unlike canoes, kayaks, or large ferries, the Fire Navy's engines caused shorter waves that rippled out faster than the slower moving vessels. This knowledge was pivotal in pinpointing a ship's direction and destination.

There was one who had a head start, keeping an eye on the iron maiden before she could even leave the shipyard. When the old man had arrived at the dock but not the Fire Lord, it was obvious that there was going to be a chase and the onlooker wondered how the young firebender was going to outmaneuver waterbenders on grounds made of ice.

When the snowriders first appeared, the hidden blue-eyed watcher thought that an appearance was needed. But a smirk found its way out when the two benders conveniently lost their balance. And when the entire tundra began breaking apart, a wide grinned scout could just barely be found in a single kayak. It was the season that glaciers could break after all, and waterbenders of any rank should be able to feel unsteady ice.

With an extra waterbending passenger, the iron ship began to move south, followed by a silent lone kayak. It was nearly half an hour before the battle ensued, but once it did, the sailing soldiers were so distracted that it was no hassle for their stalker to attach a pull line to their anchor.

When Master Katara had taken the kick and nearly fallen overboard, the onlooker was already half undressed, ready to dive into the water and grab the foolish woman. But as the Fire Lord pulled her into the life boat, a sigh of relief resounded over the quiet waters. Blue eyes changed from entertained to determined as they began to look for the easiest way to climb aboard the Fire Navy ship.

--

She sprawled in the bottom of the life boat and began to try and pull away from him. She flailed when he tried to reach out to her and almost kicked him in the jaw. Barely saving himself from falling out of the boat, he stepped back and let her refocus.

She was breathing fast and he worried that she would hyperventilate. Her unfocused eyes became sharp again but never left him. It was a look that he had never seen from Katara before. There had been many times during battle that she had been worried she would lose, determined not to, and even torn between fighting him and helping her other friends. Outside of battle she would grow angry with him, be impatient and sarcastic with him, even motherly demanding of him.

But never had she looked at him with complete fear. The blind fear that took over her blue eyes was a look that should only have been reserved for Azula. Zuko instantly sobered and began to softly say her name and try to comfort her.

Katara remained frozen in place, trying to get her bearings. She could no longer feel pain in her wrist because she could no longer feel her wrist. This caused her panic to rise. She kept her eyes on Zuko, waiting for his fuzzy form to become sharp again and realized she was on the floor of the life boat. When he moved toward her, she brought up her leg to prepare a kick, but he froze as she did.

"Katara," he said softly. "It's alright, I won't hurt you."

The waterbender did not trust the dangerous man in front of her but allowed him to reach over to her uninjured shoulder to pull her to a sitting position. He was kneeling beside her in the boat and traced her face with his hand.

"The fight is over. I've won." Had the Fire Lord been the prince that he once was, he would have held onto that statement to feed his honor. But he knew that the price of his friend was too high to sink that low.

She touched his hand that was resting on his cheek. It was warm, but not burning like it had been only moments ago. She sighed deeply and nuzzled into his palm, taking in the comfort of the contact. Zuko shivered at this intimate action and forced a blush not to show. He was also grateful that the crew was on the other side of the ship and the two benders were hidden by the life boat.

The Fire Lord gently grabbed her unharmed wrist and pulled her to an unsteady standing position beside him. He stepped out of the boat, turned around and grabbed her by the waist. She put her hands on his shoulders as he picked her up and placed her gently on the deck. Katara refused his arm as he led her back towards the middle of the boat, assessing all of her injuries. Besides her wrist and shoulder burns and some bumps from landing hard in the boat, there didn't seem to be anything broken.

The soldiers saw that the battle was over and slowly and quietly came out of their protective positions behind the control tower. Although the men were satisfied with the fiery, icy show, they had expected it to last much longer. The Dragon of the West had been most concerned when the waterbender had almost fallen to icy waters, but he was almost more concerned with what his nephew would do now.

Zuko picked up his discarded cloak and flung it around her shoulders. Although Katara no longer looked like a child, she was dwarfed in the large red garment. "I can't go back," she whispered. "Zuko," she pleaded, looking up at him with large blue eyes, "I can't go back there."

The Fire Lord gently held her shoulders. "But they are your people. Your family."

"And I love my family very much," she insisted. "But my people…" She sighed and looked towards the bright full moon. "They stifle me. The entire tribe feels that I need to stop my training and focus on healing and starting a family." Katara looked back at the firebender. "Do you wish about the old days?"

He was slow to answer the question. "How can I miss days filled with war and death? How can I want to return to a time when my own family would not look at me; when my own country shunned me?" She looked away, almost ashamed. "However," he said, dropping his voice, "every once in a while, I wish for a sparring partner that throws something other than fire. When I am stuck in the palace, I want to hop on the furry beast and find some small village festival to lose myself and my responsibilities."

Katara smiled. "It's not that I want to run away from my responsibilities, I just want to choose my own responsibilities. I'm not ready to be confined to a city for the rest of my life. And I am too young to become a mother." Her face contorted in a disgusted expression, "especially Hahn!"

Zuko laughed loud and full and warm. "I understand Katara. But I cannot take you with me. Do you think that the Northern Water Tribe is going to abandon its only female Master? To the Fire Nation nonetheless?"

She snorted. "Yeah, they'll be so upset that the waterbender they didn't even allow to bend isn't there."

"It's the status. It doesn't matter whether you do split apart glaciers," he said with a smirk. "It's that you _can_. You are a symbol of strength to the Water Tribe, especially since the war."

"Master Katara," an old man interrupted. "Since you are talking with the Fire Lord, I take it the battle is over."

Iroh placed a hand on her singed shoulder and she tried to hide her wince. "Thank you Uncle Iroh for your concern," she said as he raised an eyebrow.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" he asked.

"Nothing worse than what I've had before," she admitted.

The Dragon frowned. "You've had some pretty serious wounds if memory serves me correctly," he muttered as he gently moved the red cloak aside to uncover her red blistered wrist.

"It's just a burn," Katara said. "I can heal it in an instant." And with that, she pulled a line of water from the ocean and created the familiar healing glove. She held her own wrist and the water began to glow. Her wrist started to tingle and then feel cool and as the water dripped away, she held up a perfect brown arm to display her work. Not a speck of soot was there to show the mess that had been present only moments before.

Zuko's attention stayed on the smug waterbender as she showed off her efforts. He knew very well how much energy the healing took from her and was glad that he was attentive when the woman promptly passed out.


End file.
